Valves proper for valve-type fluid-flow controllers

ABSTRACT

Several projected stripes, extending at regular intervals along the direction of fluid flow, are provided over the entire outer surface of a conical diaphragm except its outermost edge and neighboring section, and this diaphragm is set in a fluid-flow path with its outermost edge in tight contact with the wall of the fluid-flow path. The set of projected stripes not only arranges uniform flow of fluid but also prevents the diaphragm from being deformed under the fluid pressure.

This application is a continuation of copending application Ser. No.433,149, filed on Oct. 6, 1982, now abandoned.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

FIG. 1 shows a rough sectional view of the valve proper for conventionalvalve-type fluid-flow controllers. A diaphragm 50 is, in the form of acone and includes an outermost edge held in contact with the wall of thefluid-flow path. A push nut 51 supports the diaphragm (50), which is inelastic contact with the wall of the fluid-flow path and which has thefluid-flow opening (52) provided therein. A needle 53 includes a taperedtip which is capable of going in and coming out of the central hole (54)through both the diaphragm and push nut. When the fluid is to flow inthe direction indicated by the arrow A, the diaphragm (50) is openedoutwardly, bringing its outermost edge into contact with the wall of thefluid-flow path and thus we have a controlled flow through the centralhole (54) in proportion to the degree of insertion of the needle (53).On the other hand, when the fluid is to flow in the direction indicatedby the arrow B, the diaphragm (50) is caused to contact inwardly, givingrise to a wide gap between the diaphragm and the wall of the fluid-flowpath and thus we have a free flow of fluid.

Such a conventional structure has disadvantages as follows: In the caseof flow in the A-arrowed direction, a rise in fluid pressure willincrease deformation of the diaphragm (50) between its intermediatesection and the outermost edge, until there appears a gap between theoutermost edge and the wall of the fluid-flow path so that the fluid iscaused to leak through, thus bringing the fluid flow out of plannedcontrol; to make the matter worse, this deformation will cause thediaphragm material to be fatigued. On the other hand, in the case of aflow in the B-arrowed direction, the section of the outer edge ofdiaphragm (50) which is mechanically weak is first caused to contractwith a resultant gap on the wall of the fluid-flow path, and thus thefluid is compelled to flow unevenly through this gap, with reslutantdisturbed flow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The major object of the present invention is to provide the outersurface of the diaphragm with projected stripes in order to offer thosevalves proper valve-type fluid-flow controllers which are not onlyprotected from being deformed but are also capable of controlling thefluid flow uniformly.

Another important object of the present invention is to put theoutermost edge faces in contact with the wall of the fluid-flow path inorder to offer those valves proper valve-type fluid-flow controllerswhich are capable of controlling the fluid flow uniformly with promotedpreventive performance against the deformation of the diaphragm.

Another object of the present invention is to provide projected stripeson a cap which is to be put in contact with the diaphragm in order tooffer those valves proper valve-type fluid-flow controllers which arecapable of being set to adjustable strengths.

The final object of the present invention is to have a needle capable ofprojecting into and out of a hole, to any controlled depth, which isformed in the axial direction of the diaphragm provided with projectedstripes on its outer surface, in order to offer those valves propervalve-type fluid-flow controllers which are capable of arrangingcontrolled flows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a rough sectional view of the valve proper for conventionalvalve-type fluid-flow controllers.

FIG. 2 shows a plan of a valve proper relating to the present invention,

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view for the central, vertical section of thesame valve,

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view for the central, vertical section of a cappart, and FIG. 5(a) shows a sectional view of an air-pressure controllerwith a valve proper relating to the present invention corresponding tothe case of free flow and

FIG. 5(b) shows a sectional view of an air-pressure controller with avalve proper relating to the present invention corresponding to acontrolled flow.

SPECIFICATION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a valve proper 1, which consists ofdiaphragm 2 and cap part 3 attached to diaphragm 2 and which has a hole4 provided centrally through the axis line. FIG. 3 shows a sectionalview for the central, vertical section of valve proper 1. As is evidentfrom FIG. 3, diaphragm 2 is made of synthetic rubber in the form of acone and the diameter for the outermost edge is such that valve proper 1is, at this outermost edge, in contact with the wall of fluid-flow pathon which valve proper 1 is to be provided. Diaphragm 2 has near itsminimum-diameter part the or projecting edge (a) formed with a thickerwall; this projected edge (a) is caught by the dent (b) provided on cappart 3 with resulting support of diaphragm 2 on cap part 3. Cap part 3is provided with 12 projected stripes 5 which are designed not to reachthe outermost edge of the diaphragm when the cap part has been appliedon diaphragm 2. The inner surface of these projected stripes 5 is incontact with the outer surface of the diaphragm so as to withstand thefluid pressure exerted on diaphragm 2. The outer faces of the projectedstripes 5 are extended along the axis line in the diameter direction soas to be in contact with the wall of fluid-flow path. Cap part 3 is madeof a material, capable of withstanding the fluid pressure to be exertedone diaphragm 2, such as synthetic resin or hard rubber.

Account will be made below of an air-pressure controller which utilizesthe valve proper 1 with the above-described structure. In FIG. 5(a) acontroller proper 6 is in the form of an approximate cylinder, itspenetrating hole portion constitutes the flow path 7, and the femalescrew part 8 is provided on the wall above the flow path 7; the femalescrew part 8 has at its middle part the communicating path 9 extendedtoward the outer circular face and expanded in diameter at its lowerpart. A pipe joint 10 is fixed on the controller proper 6 so s to beconnected at the penetrating hole section to the communicating path 9. Aroughly cylindrical sleeve support piece which is fastened at collar 12onto the lower-end inner wall of the controller proper so as to bepositioned at the expanded-diameter section of the flow path 7; thissupport piece 11 has its axis line coinciding with the axis line of thecontroller proper 6. Collar support 12 has a step part 13 formed andalso has six holes (only two shown in the figure) provided which serveto connect the flow path 7 to a flow path (not shown in the figure)provided outside the controller proper 6. The upper plane of cap part 3is held in contact with the upper plane of step part 13 so thatdiaphragm 2 may be opened toward the collar-catching part 12. Suchstructure will bring valve proper 1 into tight contact with support 11and prevent it from being disengaged by means of fixing ring 15 fastenedat its upper end. Valve proper 1 is in contact with the wall of flowpath 7 at both the outer edge of diaphragm 2 and the outer sides ofprojected stripes 5 of cap parts 3. An adjusting screw 16 is provided onthe female screw part 8 and the circular groove formed at its lower partcontains O-ring 17. A needle 18, with its axis line coinciding with thatof support 11, includes a tapered circular plane extending from thelower end of the adjusting screw 16. The tip of needle 18 may be putinto the collar-catching part 12 to any controllable depth by rotatingthe adjusting screw 16. A lock nut 19 is provided for adjusting screw16.

Next, account will be made below of the action of the air-pressurecontroller. When air is to flow in the direction indicated by the arrowin FIG. 5(a), diaphragm 2 is caused to contract to form a wide gap onthe wall of flow path 7; thus, the air flowing through each hole 14 intoflow path 7 will be allowed to flow freely from communicating path 9 topipe joint 10. In this case, the set of projected stripes 5 makes theair flow uniform and keeps uniform the gap between the diaphragm and thewall of flow path 7. On the other hand, when air is to flow in thedirection indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5(b), the cone of diaphram 2 iscaused to expand until the outermost edge and neighboring section ofdiaphragm 2, not reinforced by projected stripes 5, are brought intopressurized contact with the wall of flow path 7. With diaphragm 2 undersuch a pressure, the air is allowed to flow in flow path 7 fromcommunicating path 9 toward each hole 14 in a controlled flow, the flowrate being in proportion to the width of the gap between needle 18positioned to a certain prescribed depth and the inner wall of support11 into which needle 18 enters. During this process the air pressureexerted on diaphragm 2 is received by projected stripes 5 on cap part 3and therefore diaphragm 2 itself need not withstand the air pressure.

It is, of course, possible to reverse valve proper 1 in order to reversethe direction of the air flow adopted in the above example application.In this case, collar 12 on support 11 need not be provided with step 13,but it is necessary to provide a fixing ring pushing the upper plane ofcap part 3 in addition to fixing ring 15 pushing up diaphragm 2; thus,valve proper 1 is held between a pair of fixing rings under pressure.Valve proper 1 may be used not only as a controlling valve for any otherfluids than air but also simply as a check valve. In the case of the useas a check valve, the structure for supporting valve proper 1 mayrequire hole 4 to be blocked and diaphragm 2 may be provided withprojected stripes 5 in a unified unit.

As described above, the valve proper for the valve-type fluid-flowcontrollers relating to the present invention has a set of severalprojected stripes extending in the direction of fluid flow provided onthe outer surface of the diaphragm. This provision of projected stripes,effective for receiving the fluid pressure, may prevent the deformationon the section ranging from the middle to outermost edge of thediaphragm, resulting in reduction of the degree of fatigue due to thedeformation. While the valve is in use for free flow, the projectedstripes help arrange uniform flow so as to allow the diaphragm tocontract uniformly. A more effective prevention of the diaphragmdeformation may be effected by having the outer sides of projectedstripes brought in contact with the flow-path wall. A further moreeffective prevention of the diaphragm deformation may be effected byhaving the projected stripes on the cap part separately from thediaphragm, since the projected stripes may be made of any material withany strength independently of the diaphragm which requires elasticity.Backed up by the preventive effect of the projected stripes on thedeformation, the setting of the needle to any adjustable depths mayarrange exactly controlled flows.

We claim:
 1. A valve for valve-type fluid flow controllers for providinga fluid flow path to permit the flow of fluid in a first direction andfor providing a controlled flow in the reverse direction comprising:aflow bore; a substantially conical diaphragm constructed of an elasticmaterial and having a predetermined height, said substantially conicaldiaphragm being operatively positioned with said flow bore; saiddiaphragm including a minimum diameter portion having an aperture formedtherein; a cap member for mounting on said minimum diameter portion ofsaid diaphragm; a plurality of stripes extending from said cap memberand engaging an outer surface of said diaphragm, said stripes extendingalong said diaphragm for a predetermined distance which is less than thepredetermined height of said diaphragm; said cap member including anaperture formed therein for aligning with said aperture in saiddiaphragm; a collar support traversing said flow bore and havingapertures therein; a sleeve support affixed to said collar support andextending axially within said flow bore, said sleeve support includingan aperture formed therein for aligning with said apertures in saiddiaphragm and cap member; a fixing ring for retaining said diaphragm andcap member on said sleeve support in an operative position wherein saiddiaphragm is seated within said flow bore; a tapered needle movablymounted for insertion into said aligned apertures in said sleevesupport, said diaphragm and said cap for controlling the flow of fluidtherethrough; wherein fluid flowing in a first direction biases saiddiaphragm in a first direction to permit free flow of fluid through saidflow bore and fluid flowing in a reverse direction biases said diaphragmin a reverse direction to permit controlled flow of fluid past saidtapered needle.
 2. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said minimumdiameter portion of said diaphragm includes a projecting edge foraffixing said diaphragm to said cap.
 3. A valve according to claim 1,wherein said cap is constructed of a synthetic resin material.